Danny Goes Into The Light
by Bob Zox
Summary: As Danny matures he gains new powers and vision. How does it impact friends, enemies and himself? Danny and Sam as always! Ch. 17 and now COMPLETE! whew!
1. Chapter 1 Growing Ghost

Chapter 1 – Growing Ghost

"Thanks Danny. I didn't know dolphins played underwater 'football' with bubbles. Amazing!" Danny and Sam were flying back from the San Diego Pacific. He had gone ghost and then taken her on a tour underwater, and since they were both invisible, the dolphins acted normally. It was better than Sea World…and free! He always liked to impress her, and at sixteen, his part time job didn't pay him enough for luxuries, so he used his talents to entertain her when possible.

"I have seen a lot of stuff Sam. But there are still some places I haven't explored yet."

"What do you mean? Do you mean like in a volcano?" They flew through a flock of seagulls.

"I'm… not talking about, places around here, like around earth." They phased into her bedroom and materialized. "I mean places in the ghost dimension. I can see ghosts of people past, dark places in the distance, places that I think are evil. And…a place I think is a good place. A big white mountain, kind of… far away."

"How do you know about places you haven't seen? I thought when you went ghost, you still see us regular folks in the real world…" They sat down on the bed together.

"I do, but then, I can phase not just through stuff, but I can phase in a different way. I think it is a different frequency or something. I found it when I turned sixteen."

Sam was wondering: _could Danny be going through a 'ghost puberty' of sorts?_ Some ghost growing that would take him to higher powers? She couldn't help smiling. _He hates to be called 'pre-pubescent'!_

"Uh…what's funny?" He asked, half closing his eyes at her. He checked his fly.

Now she laughed. "Nothing down there, I was just thinking…maybe ghosts grow up! Maybe you are going through 'ghost puberty'!" She was still smiling, but held his hand to let him know she wasn't trying to be mean to him. She knew how sensitive boy's egos are!

"Maybe since you are older, you are getting experience, like Plasmius."

Danny frowned at the idea that he would become anything like his arch rival. But maybe Sam had a point.

"Well, maybe you're right. This new phase might help me to defeat Plasmius once and for all! Maybe there is some way to use it against him." He took on an inward look, contemplating.

Sam patted his hand. "Now _that's_ my Danny!" She brushed his shaggy dark hair to the side and kissed him on the cheek.

"OK, you better get to work, almost 5 PM!" She reminded him.

"See you babe." He kissed her on the lips, holding her waist briefly. He went ghost and dropped through her floor feet first, his smile and big green eyes were the last thing she saw before he disappeared into the shag carpeting. She went downstairs to make herself a salad.


	2. Chapter 2 Incoming

Chapter 2 – Incoming

Sam set out the cutting board, and then opened the fridge, looking for cucumbers, lettuce, tofu, _french fries._

What? _Where did that come from?_

She stared at the open refrigerator. She was seeing a faint image of the deep fryer at Nasty Burger superimposed on the refrigerator door!

_Sam. Is that you? Do you hear me?_

She closed the door. She turned around and looked out the kitchen nook window at the garden. "Danny?" she said aloud. She _knew _it was him.

_Yes. You are looking at trees aren't you?_

_Yes. C-c-can you read my thoughts? _

_No. Not yet anyway. I can only hear what you say. And I can see what you see. _

Sam shut her eyes. _And I can see what you see too!_

Sam started shaking. She loved Danny, but this experience was scaring her. She sat down at the table. _Watch what you are doing, you almost put your hand in the fryer!_

_Ooops, thanks! I was cooking and then …I was thinking I couldn't wait to see you after work…then I saw your refrigerator! _

_Can you …talk to Tucker? Anyone else?_

_I don't know, haven't tried. But as long as I'm talking to you…_

Sam felt a warm, loving feeling, almost a caress, but it was entirely in her mind.

_I love you Sam._

_I love you too Danny. _

She could tell somehow he was enjoying her response. He must have felt the same thing she did. It was as if they were hugging, with nuzzled heads and noses.

_This just started, I wonder what it means._ Wonder in his mind.

_I guess we don't need the Fenton Phones anymore. _She smiled as she said it. _Do me a favor. Don't do this when you are driving home. This could be worse than a cell phone! _

_Don't worry, I won't. But I will explore this new power. I will be able to do so much more now! I am going to try and talk to Tucker now, talk to you later. Bye._

_Bye Danny._

Sam opened her eyes. She just had the most amazing experience of her life and was trying to digest it. So much for salad!


	3. Chapter 3 Outgoing

Chapter 3 – Outgoing

Danny didn't want to take the chance of getting distracted again, and causing an accident in the kitchen of Nasty Burger. He didn't need anymore trouble. He was still trying to be on his best work behavior after having to leave work without telling his boss, the last time he had go ghost to save Tucker.

His first break time came up, and he went to the parking lot and sat on the hood of his beat up old '71 Cadillac Sedan deVille. It was green, a tank, and used a lot of gas, but for $500 it was good enough for him, and besides, Sam loved it. She nicknamed it the 'Ghost Boat'. Her parents cringed when they saw it in front of their house, which is another reason Sam loved it.

"It is SO anti-establishment!" she had said with a mean smile.

No one was looking his way. He closed his eyes and thought of Tucker.

_Tuck. You there?_

Nothing. How had he found Sam?

_Tucker. Tucker Foley. Hello?_

Still nothing. What did it take? He called Tucker on his cell phone.

"Yo, Dan the man! Talk to me dawg!"

"Tuck, I need you to help me test" Danny cupped the phone and whispered "a new ghost power."

There was a sound on the other end of the phone that sounded like a hiccup, burp and cough at the same time.

"WHAT?"

"I _need _you to _help _me test a new _ghost power!_"

"What? What kind of power?"

Danny was now trying to speak casually as another Nasty Burger customer drove into the parking lot.

"Try thinking of me. I am going to try something, tell me if you …notice anything. But think of me."

"OK Danny. Go."

_Tuck. Tucker._

_Hello Tucker Foley. _

Still silence.

_Tuck-er. Tuckerino. Tuckerama. Tucker rhymes with Sucker._

Silence on the other end. _Hmmm, maybe Sam was not thinking of me when I reached her either. How did I do that?_

"How did you do what?" Tucker's voice asked on the phone.

"You heard me? It works!"

"Ah, wait a minute. You didn't actually _say _anything, did you?"

_That was the whole idea._

"Hello Danny? Hello?"

Cell phone again: "You didn't hear me say 'that was the whole idea'?"

"Nope. I heard 'Maybe Sam was not thinking of me when I reached her either, how did I do that?"

"Wait a minute, I think I know how this works. Listen again."

Danny thought of holding Sam's hand underwater when they were whale watching.

_Tuck, can you hear me._

_Yes!_

_I got it! I have to think of Sam first. I wonder why thinking of you doesn't work?_

_Don't go there! But I would propose a theory that it isn't thinking of Sam or of me, but of the feeling, the mode it puts you in, when you think of Sam. The feelings alter your broadcast frequency, phase shifting your thoughts…_

Tucker went on like this for ten minutes before Danny stopped him.

_OK enough already. _But Tucker was still talking. Apparently, he was really good at making Danny forget the feeling and drop out of whatever it was.

Danny still had the cell phone on: "Tucker." Tucker was still blathering. He must have stopped using the cell phone. Danny called him again.

"Uh, hello?"

"Will you stop already! Sheesh, your brain is like too much homework!"

"You apparently dropped out of the phase shift mode."

"Or was pushed out of it!"

"Or …yeah. Sorry"

Danny felt bad. " 'sokay man. Thanks for helping me test it."

"This is awesome Danny. Does the Sam-woman know yet?"

"Yeah, she was the first one I tried it on…well I stumbled upon it actually."

"How did you get this new power?"

"It …just …happened." Danny shrugged.

"We have to do more tests Danny. Distance. While you are ghost. I'll write a test plan and…"

"Whoa Tuck, I am not an experiment. I'll test it myself. I gotta get back to work, my breaks over. See ya man."

"Later."

Danny went back to work, but his mind was elsewhere. He got burned twice by fry grease.


	4. Chapter 4 Good at NonHugs

Chapter 4 – Non-Hug

Saturday night at midnight, and Tucker was watching movies at Sam's place, both waiting for Danny to get off work. They wanted to talk about his new powers and the ghost dimension.

_The Crow again? Don't you get tired of that show?_

Sam sat up. She looked over at Tucker, he was sitting up looking at her too.

_Danny? _She felt his warm caress, but now it was like he was wrapping her in himself, a warm embrace from head to toe. He was getting better at this…this non-hug!

Tucker saw that Sam was smiling, eyes closed, face tilted toward the ceiling. She was enjoying something.

"Uh…Sam? You ok?" He concentrated. _Danny?_

He appeared before them and became human.

Tucker stopped the movie and turned on the lights. Sam got up and hugged Danny.

"Tuck, could you hear or…feel anything just now?" Danny was hoping Tucker didn't pick up the same thing as Sam. He was still practicing.

"I heard you complain about us watching The Crow. That's all. Whatever mushy stuff Sam was hearing, I didn't hear it…I just saw her listening."

"It wasn't listen…" Sam stopped short, turned from Tucker to look at Danny, and blushed. That always drove Danny crazy, and he wanted to take her in his arms, but they had to talk. He needed both of their advice, he needed them as a sounding board. They had proven many times in the past that he should listen to them.

"Uh, not that it is my business, just scientific curiosity, but uh…if you weren't listening, what exactly were you…?"

Maybe this was a bad idea. He began to guess. Sam gave Danny a worried glance.

"Never mind guys. Sorry I asked. I am just trying to see what …capabilities you have, it may be important in defeating Plasmius."

"Well, then let me show you a different sample Tuck. Listen up…"

Tucker could see himself superimposed on his real vision of Danny. He was looking through Danny's eyes. He could also feel what seemed like Danny shaking his hand, but his hand was at his side.

"WHOA! Dude! Nice to meet you!" Tucker shouted. Danny was smiling. He was still in human form!

Tucker was excited, and took out his PDA to make notes. "Appears to be a more focused form of overshadow effect, but finely tuned. Like getting better at shaving."

Danny gave Tucker the evil eye to say 'No pre-pubescent jokes'. He had just started shaving last week.

Tuck continued: "Important point number one! You don't have to go ghost to do this! Plasmius will think you are without powers, but you will be able to…hmmmm…MIGHT be able to…"

The wheels were turning in Tucker's mind now.

"Danny, you might be able to see through Plasmius' eyes! Know what he is doing, where he is going!" Tucker was smiling.

Sam saw the idea, but wasn't smiling. Her natural tendency to go against the mainstream made her speak:

"But Tucker, wouldn't Plasmius then be able to see through Danny's eyes too?"

Danny and Tucker looked at each other.

Tucker reached the logical conclusion: "Danny, does Plasmius have this power?"

"Not that I know of" This was why he needed their advice. This was a good question.

Tucker continued: "If he does he would have used it by now. He has demonstrated a lot of other tricks, but not this one. I don't think he has it."

"So I am a different kind of ghost than Plasmius?"

"Looks that way. I think you are a mutant Danny. And Plasmius may be the dinosaur."

_A mutant?_ Sam thought. _If Danny and I get married, what would our children be like?_

_You mean WHEN we get married! _She looked at Danny. He was smiling. Now he was ready for a real hug.


	5. Chapter 5 Journey

Chapter 5 – Journey

Sunday night, Danny told his mom and dad he wanted to go to bed early, to 'be well rested for school tomorrow'. He went to his room and lay down in bed. This was the time when he could concentrate and explore the ghost dimension. He looked at the clock. Eight o'clock. He closed his eyes and phased…

…space, in all directions. Nothing was below him or above him. The White Mountain was in the far distance ahead of him. He could feel the cold vacuum behind him. He turned his perspective around and tried looking for it again, but still could not see anything, like the last time. But he could sense it. Somehow, he felt Plasmius was connected to the unseen coldness. He didn't want to go in that direction yet. Not until he knew his way 'around'. He wanted to meet Plasmius prepared, if he was there.

Changing his perspective again, he launched himself towards the White Mountain. It must be very far away, because although he could feel himself traveling fast, faster than light, faster than anything, the White Mountain only slowly came closer. The last time he tried to reach it, he gave up after a long time. It felt like it had been hours and that he should phase back home. It had only been a minute! So this time…

…Hours? Days? Since he was only gone a minute last time, he thought he would ignore his normal time-sense, and go longer, trying to reach the mountain that called him. It radiated goodness and reward. And Love.

The White Mountain was getting a little closer, but still distant. For the first time, he began to notice lights around the mountain. Shimmering sparkles of different colors moved in an orbit around the summit of The Mountain.

As he got closer, he began to notice that instead of being an invisible thought, a body-less mind, he was beginning to shimmer and sparkle! He had no form, only light. He had to share this with Sam! He thought of her, and opened his vision to her.

_Sam. You have to see this! _

_Danny?_

_Yes. Can you see The Mountain?_

_Yes! _She had closed her eyes when he made contact, shutting out the last minute homework on her desk. Her desk clock said eight o'clock.

_Danny, it is beautiful, but what is it?_

_I don't know. __This is the closest I have ever come!_

_Danny, maybe it's dangerous…_

_No, I can feel it is safe, that it…cares. Can't you feel it?_

_No, I can see it, but I don't feel anything but you._

Now, like a tiger springing from a crouch, The Mountain suddenly loomed up. He had arrived!

The pinnacle of The Mountain had a bright sparkling light, brighter than the sun, but it did not hurt to look at it. Sam could see it too. Orbiting colors were circling, bobbing in and out, always coming close to the central brightness, but never reaching it, then withdrawing to the distance again.

Danny could feel it was safe. _I am going to take a closer look._

_Danny, what if you don't come back? What if you don't come back to me? _

She had read about people who were near death, and had reported kind, loving bright lights that departed souls would enter. She was NOT ready for Danny to depart!

_I don't think that will happen Sam. I feel like I am somehow safe. I think because I am a mutant, I can go where no other ghosts can go. I just know I will be ok. Watch!_

_Danny!_

In Sam's bedroom, her heart stopped. She collapsed onto the floor.


	6. Chapter 6 Flashing Before Eyes

Chapter 6 – Flashing Before His Eyes

_Danny!_

_Its ok Sam, see? What?..._

Sam's eyes had been shut, so he hadn't seen anything superimposed on the brightness around him, but now he was seeing flashing visions of events, some he recognized, and some he didn't. As the scenes rolled by, he realized that it was all happening from Sam's perspective.

There were many of the adventures that they had together. There were many of the sorrows they shared too. Much heartache, most caused by him.

He was mesmerized by the visual passage of time in her life. _In her life! OH NO!_

_Sam! _

_I'm dying. I know I am. I love you Danny. _

_NO!_

He phased back…

…his eyes flicked open, he looked at the clock: eight o'clock! Going ghost!

He flew to Sam's bedroom in seconds. The number on her clock just changed to 8:01 as he scooped her limp body in his arms.

"SAM!"

Lavender flickered between long lashes. "Danny?" she said weakly.

"Oh Sam!" He hugged her close, crying. "I am so sorry Sam, I didn't know…"

"I TOLD you it was dangerous, you are so clueless…" She managed to lift a hand against his jaw in a weak slap as her head turned toward his chest.

He smiled at her, tears running down his face.

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The clock showed 4:30 AM. Danny decided to forget school. He had been up all night, holding Sam. Her breathing was slow and steady, as she slept. She had recovered after a few coughs and some weakness, but was exhausted. They had stayed up all night talking about The Mountain, and her life flashing before her eyes. He had apologized to her for all the heartache he had caused her, and she had forgiven him. Their bond was strong before, it was permanent now. There was no way either of them could come to know another person that deep in the whole world. He didn't want to leave her side, the protective instinct was strong. He had time to think.

The light had nearly been fatal. And there was some connection to Plasmius in the same dimension. But even if there wasn't, a connection formed in the real world could still be dragged into the light. A plan was forming in his mind…


	7. Chapter 7 Preemptive Plan

Chapter 7 Pre-emptive Plan

At Danny's place upstairs, he talked to Sam and Tucker about his plan. They demanded to be 'connected' when he executed it, but he was afraid they might be 'executed' too, and would not agree. He was not taking any chances of losing his best friend or future bride. No more trips with him to the ghost dimension.

Sam didn't even like the idea of Danny going after Plasmius. She only wanted Danny to use his powers in self defense or the defense of others. Plasmius had not bothered anyone for a long time, and she wanted to let sleeping dogs lay.

"Plasmius has been…quiet lately Danny. Why not wait until after we graduate?" _Why not wait until after we get married?_

Danny could tell she didn't intend for him to hear the last part about waiting to get married. But he decided not to say anything yet about him getting more experience in his power.

"Sam, Plasmius has not done anything in the open lately, but I think he is up to no good, I think he is trying to get into the new ghost dimension. The longer I wait to take him down, the more powerful he may become. I have to strike before he is ready, before he causes some real harm."

Tucker cleared his throat: "I don't think it is a new dimension Danny, but an ancient one. Maybe even …eternal."

Danny could tell Tucker had come up with something, but sometimes he could come up with something that took a long time to say.

"Ok" Danny replied, "Whatever it is, I still need to keep that dinosaur out of it."

"If he is a dinosaur" Tucker replied, "he may not be able to get into it. He may be aware of it though, he is very experienced, and is always trying to grow his power." Scientific curiosity drove him to silently make the suggestion to him that he knew would upset Sam.

_Danny, if you can hear me, I think you should try to get closer to the Anti-Mountain, the coldness you feel. But sneak up on it. I don't think it is Plasmius himself, even though you feel it is connected with him somehow. It will give us more clues. I think._

Danny did hear Tucker, and knew not to reply out loud for Sam to hear. He was able to think one-on-one even though multiple people were present. He trusted Tucker's advice.

_OK Tuck. I will try and see what it is out there._

Sam became suspicious of the long silence. "Danny Fenton! Tucker Foley! What are you guys up to?..." She had an angry look, arms crossed. "Are you talking behind my…uh…back?" She knew Danny was brave, but sometimes he was brash too. She didn't want him to go on some suicide mission without knowing about it. She had to protect him from himself if she could.

Danny, raising his hand to his neck, smiled and then squinted at Tucker: "Uh well …not really…not behind your back…" Tucker just looked at Sam with his best dumb animal look.

"Ohhhh!" She was mad. Boys! "Tell me what's going on!"

Tucker went first: "Danny and I just talked about him phasing into the ghost dimension again, and making some observations that's all. Carefully. Nothing brash. Just sort of sneaking around with his eyes open, that's all."

Sam relaxed. But only a little. Her arms dropped to her sides, and then she walked over to Danny and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Danny, remember the last time? You didn't take my advice. I just want to keep you out of trouble, that's all. I don't want to lose you."

She felt his silent but loving caress, the non-hug in her mind, at the same time he physically wrapped his arms around her and drew her to him, nuzzling into her shining dark hair. Speaking softly he said:

"You won't. I promise." The simultaneous physical and mental affection overloaded her female senses, and she began to shiver. But it wasn't cold.

Tucker smiled as he watched his best friends cuddle. Man, _I have got to get myself a girlfriend one of these days! _

Danny smiled at the thought.


	8. Chapter 8 Plasmius

Chapter 8 – Plasmius

On an Earth rotating in the ending days of spring, on an undisclosed mountaintop in North America, an enormous castle reflected lightning strikes in the night sky. The thunderstorm gigawatts frightened the wildlife, and the servants of the castle, but to the lord and owner of the castle, it was the petty background of an insignificant corner of the universe.

This mountaintop was as close to his previous estate in Wisconsin that he could find. He had to move when the mindless hordes of curiosity seekers and deluded wannabes descended upon his previous abode, after reporter Harriet Chin had made her ill fated report on his reunion party, then eventually the uh, little accident which just happened to totally destroy it to atoms.

Here, he would be insulated from those idiots. He could concentrate on trying to achieve the greatest concentration of his skill and power ever: to achieve the Breakthrough.

He knew from his research that there was a higher dimension that might be reached, if he could more finely tune his ghost phasing. But it was always out of reach. He had modified the spectral energy neutralizer to provide a window into this higher dimension, but he himself could not yet enter it. His Spectral Energy Monitor, or SE-Monitor as he now called it, was always on, collecting data like a microscope, for his future Breakthrough attempts.

Gazing now into his SE-Monitor with red eyes and a furrowed brow, he had watched the White Mountain with an exploitive desire: there was nothing else in this dimension but the Mountain, it must be significant. He could sense great power emanating from it. Great Power. The Power over Life and Death. This was the power that would help him remove the one wildcard that stood between him and his remaining conquest, Maddie Fenton: that wildcard was none other than Danny Phantom.

Such great power would help him to destroy Danny Phantom, and thus obtain Maddie, and though she would undoubtedly be sorrowed from the loss of her insolent son, she would never know the Earth bound alter ego, Vlad, was a half-ghost, and thus woo her.

Eliminating that clueless husband of hers, Jack, would be child's play. No wonder, that Danny had no idea years ago that his miniscule female friend was infatuated with him; clueless-ness was obviously hereditary. He chuckled at the thought, and then thought back to Maddie again. Ahhh, a voluptuous figure, lovelier than a sculptured Roman love goddess, quick intelligence and vitality, that provocative red hair, those hypnotic lavender eyes. A suitable consort for the future Ruler of the Universe! He made plans within plans…


	9. Chapter 9 Selling his Soul

Chapter 9 Selling his Soul

At his home known as the Fenton Works, with his best friend and girlfriend at his side, Danny had phased into the ghost dimension…

…space, in all directions. The White Mountain, in its eternal majesty, was looming large in the distance. Turning his perspective around, he put forth his will, and moved towards the unseen cold. Time seemed to drag on for a long, long time in his slow and careful approach.

He could also feel a pulling here, but unlike The White Mountain, which attracted him, called him, this cold unseen place pulled one against the will. It felt like it was _dragging him_ closer. More time crawling by, but as Tucker cautioned, take it slow. Don't rush.

Eventually, he began to see something, a fuzzy reddish glow. It seemed to be days, then the glow began to manifest the _feeling _of Plasmius. He was there in the glow, watching. Danny began to get a very bad feeling about this…

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Plasmius still had traces of humanity: scientific curiosity. He could not break his gaze from the SE-Monitor as he witnessed an amazing phenomenon: a shimmering, colorful sphere was expanding in his field of view! Like Tucker, excitement that was beyond learning of something new for the purpose of exploiting it, but for the sheer joy of discovering a new aspect of The Universe, was taking hold of him. Then he began to think of its potential for usefulness. He sensed it had power, but it was not The Power of The White Mountain. This was something new.

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Danny moved closer, and more slowly now. He could definitely detect Plasmius, all around. He thought of what Tucker had said: _Maybe you can see through Plasmius' eyes!_

Delicately, quietly, he thought of Sam, and then reached out to the glow.

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Plasmius suddenly could feel the presence of Daniel Phantom. He looked around, and then guessing, looked back into the SE-Monitor, the boy achieved Breakthrough! That multicolored sphere had to be him! Gritting his teeth at the idea that an inexperienced, undereducated, pre-pubescent who had no idea how to use power, was able to go where he could not, infuriated him!

_I am NOT prepubescent! _

Ah! This was another, unexpected power granted to the undeserving, clueless lad.

_Daniel! How nice of you to visit your adoring Uncle! You must explain to me how you managed to breakthrough into this dimension. I can grant you anything you want in exchange!_

_Sorry Plasmius! There are no single women here. Or cats!_

Restraining his temper, he brushed aside his red cape, and spoke calmly through clenched teeth.

_Why Daniel, Let us be on good terms. I have not bothered you or your domesticated family…recently. We have no cause to be …enemies now. I am a recluse nowadays, interested only in scientific research, a sort of…gentleman scientist. Certainly you agree that I have been a…man of peace as of late?_

_Yeah. So was Dr. Frankenstein!_

_My dear boy, let us help each other: I only ask that you use our new channel of communication for you to let me…observe the White Mountain, close up. Would you please maintain the connection, and take me there while I watch?_

_What do I get out of it?_

_I promise dear boy, to leave your family in peace, forever! And I will be your ally, in times of need. My power and experience combined with yours would be able to defend your beloved Amity Park without equal. _

That was a very enticing offer. Danny knew what Vlad could do when he had helped in the past. And Vlad did seem to be a man of peace now. He didn't trust Plasmius, but what did he have to lose? Granting Vlad…uh, Plasmius a simple glance at The White Mountain close up didn't cost anything, no risk to anyone. Then Danny remembered his plan. But Plasmius could guess from the hesitation that he was winning Danny over:

_I only seek knowledge of the universe. But I need to see the difference between you and the other lights in the distance, from this, my SE-Monitor, so that I may know which is you. Fly in a spiral pattern towards The White Mountain. That is all I ask, nothing more._

_You will keep a permanent truce Plas? And be my ally?_  
Plasmius cringed at the youthful slang of his name, but restrained from correction.

_Why yes my boy. And I will teach you what I learn from this observation you make for me, sharing its lessons. Your knowledge will be magnified by my counseling and advice._

_OK Plas…uh…Vlad._

Plasmius smiled!


	10. Chapter 10 Path to Destruction

Chapter 10 The Path to Destruction

In the depths of the mammoth castle, a vast laboratory filled with equipment and instruments, all of it surrounding the almost omnipotent being: Plasmius.

Red eyes gazing steady into the SE-Monitor, he prepared to watch his ally appear in the ghost dimension. He derived the most sinister pleasure from knowing that when the whelp accomplished his purpose, he would be double-crossed with impunity.

He allowed himself a small smile. His lab door opened:

"Excuse me Master."

Infuriated with the interruption when his scheme was about to be set in motion, he stared at the ghost servant who appeared at his side, and twin beams of an intense bright purple light blazed from his eyes, vaporizing the entity with a scream.

He turned back to the SE-Monitor, mumbling.

There! On the left: the shimmering globe of multicolored light appearing in the distance, flying in the pre-arranged spiral flight pattern that identified him as Daniel Phantom. Now he smiled with sharp teeth, turning the control knobs to zoom the view to maximum magnification.

As the whelp approached The White Mountain, the boy made contact:

_Vlad: I am at The Mountain._

Amazing! The youngling had taken only seconds to get there. He _must _gain access!

_Show me Daniel. Engage your vision to mine._

A shimmering image of The White Mountain appeared superimposed on Plasmius' view of the SE-Monitor. He shut his eyes to see it more clearly…

…Danny could see the SE-Monitor, but then it was gone! Plasmius had shut his eyes! A fatal flaw in his plan that he did not account for was going to ruin everything!

Thinking quickly, he began to turn away from The Mountain to the left and thought:

_Vlad! I cannot see anything anymore. Something is wrong. _

_I can still see the mountain Daniel. Go to your right._

Danny turned right and down at the same time, an oblique path that still took him away from The Mountain.

_No Daniel, you are going the wrong way, go up and to the left._

Plasmius opened his eyes and gazed into the SE-Monitor.

Danny took his chance as soon as the device image was visible again.

_What…_before Plasmius could speak, look or move, Danny overshadowed him and with the tyrant's mighty vision, projected twin beams of intense purple energy at the SE-Monitor. A bright flash and shockwave threw the tyrant across the lab, but before he hit the ground, Danny went into the light!

Plasmius became Vlad Masters, still and limp spread out on the floor of the lab.

Danny watched visions of Vlad Master's life, rolling by across the brightness of The Mountain pinnacle. There were scenes of triumph in scientific discovery and education, in experiments and financial transactions. The scenes of his mother Maddie almost filled him with guilt at what he had done, for these scenes revealed the only human part of the evil man worth saving: Vlad's love for Maddie. But he remembered that he had to do it to save his father, his family and the world.

The scenes ended with the SE-Monitor blowing up. It was done.

Danny said a small prayer to The Light. _Have mercy on his soul._

He left The Light and phased back…

…blue eyes opened, and looking up from his bed, saw lavender, surrounded by sleek glossy black hair hanging down like a protecting shield.

"Tuck, he's back! Did it work Danny?" Sam was smiling hopefully, eyes questioning.

"Yes." But sitting up, he looked down without a smile.

"I killed him. He loved my mother, and I …I killed him."

Sam held Danny's forearm and stroked his forehead.

"It's ok Danny. It's over."

Tucker spoke: "Danny, you didn't kill him."

Danny looked up at Tucker. "Yes I did."

"No" Tucker explained. "Vlad put himself on the path to destruction. By becoming evil, and becoming a threat to others, he set himself up. It wasn't your fault Danny." He smiled, trying his best to comfort his best friend. Sam squeezed Danny's hand and gave him a weak smile.

"You still have me Danny." Her voice was gentle.

He smiled. Her voice always brought him comfort.

"And me too!" Tucker said with pride.

He laughed. "Ok you guys. Thanks. And you still have me."

"Thank God." said Sam, and hugging his neck, she kissed his cheek, leaving it thoroughly smeared with lavender lipstick!


	11. Chapter 11 Child's End

Chapter 11 – Child's End

Danny and Sam were walking to Tucker's place Saturday night, the streetlamps casting shadows. They were going to meet him and then all three go to the movies. Tucker and Sam had wanted to cheer Danny up.

Ever since he defeated Plasmius, and had realized how powerful he had become, he had been brooding, becoming withdrawn. The responsibility of such new power weighed heavily on him, and the little things that used to seem so important no longer held his attention.

He began to dress like Sam: Gothic, black pants instead of the blue jeans he used to wear, black long sleeve shirts with a string of chrome buttons that opened at an angle from upper left shoulder to lower right abdomen, the top couple of buttons unsnapped. A long black trench coat 'because it can hide me when I go ghost' he told her. Black boots with chrome buckles thudded the sidewalk as he walked. Earlier, Danny's sister Jazz had commented that they now made a matching couple, but she worried about her brother's recent mood change to darkened outlook.

Sam held his arm as she walked by his side.

Sam had been changed by Danny's new powers too. Her near death experience, and the new mental intimacy that Danny and her could share without touching, the 'non-hugs', made her love Danny even more. Gone was the old Sam, who didn't want to reveal any weakness or vulnerability. She didn't care anymore about who knew she was in crazy love with Danny, or if he saw her swoon. She was totally and completely his girl. Near death had rearranged her priorities, revealing to her what was really important in life: Love, and nothing else. Love for the only person she knew that could go into The Light, and come out again at will.

And now the boy she loved was becoming a man, leaving behind the trifles of youth, and taking on the burden of maturity. She worried briefly that she would be one of the trifles, but she only had to recall the depth of their love, Danny's words and acknowledgement that he too had his priorities rearranged; the truth in The Light had revealed to him what and more importantly, who, was important to him. Their bond was made permanent at the summit of The White Mountain, and she relaxed, all worry gone.

They arrived at Tucker's place. Tucker was sitting on the steps out front, and stood up.

"Hey." He extended his fist to touch knuckles with Danny's in a hello.

"Hey Tuck." Danny's vocabulary had become mono-syllabic lately.

Sam was a little more chatty:

"Hi Tucker. Danny's ghost boat is outta gas. Since he hasn't been working lately…"

"Don't go there Sam, ok?" Danny glanced at Sam.

"It's ok Danny." She defended, "I was just going to say, I offered to buy gas, but Danny felt like walking. So we're walking."

"Hey, I'm good with that. Walking's good." Tucker smiled at Danny, but he just turned toward the sidewalk and started walking. Sam and Tucker caught up on either side, exchanging worried looks.

Tucker noticed the bulge in the side pocket of Danny's trench coat. The Fenton thermos. Danny always carried it now. He seemed to live only for ghost fighting lately. He was becoming a more modern, darker version of his father.

"Special treat for Sam tonight folks!" Tucker tried to lighten the mood. "Good Girls Don't Sleep In Coffins is playing tonight! I'll bet its goooooood."

"Sweet!" Sam agreed, "2003 vintage if I recall. I slept in a coffin Danny, does that make me a bad girl?" She smiled as she nudged him in the ribs. She was met with success. His head was still hanging down, shaggy hair hiding his eyebrows, but sparkling blue could be seen looking back at her.

"You're so bad, you're good." He smiled at her.

"Better than being so good, it's bad." She countered.

The three of them walked towards the movies, streetlamps casting long shadows behind them.


	12. Chapter 12 Old Ghosts Never die

Chapter 12 – Old Ghosts never die...

Sunday evening, the last of the twilight was glowing gently over Amity Park, as a few birds circled, searching for their evening nesting tree.

Danny and Sam were in the 'ghost boat', Danny's old Cadillac, parked outside of town off the hill top road that leads to Cedarville. Sitting close together, with Danny's arm around Sam, they would often come here without Tucker, to talk softly, watching the city lights.

Tucker was still the third member of the close knit trio, but since The Light, Danny and Sam shared a bond that Tucker did not know. They were talking about Tucker now.

"Maybe you can take him to see it Danny. Not close up, but near it."

"I know, I have been thinking about it too Sam. Tuck is also my best friend, and I know he wants to see it, to see what you saw. I am not so…worried…about it anymore. I should be able to get him close enough to see it without getting in any danger."

Sam smiled at Danny with her pastel lavender lips, brushing a lock of his black hair over his ear. He was looking down at her lap, his strong hand clasping her petite, feminine one. She still wore plaid skirts, but now with variations. His eyes traced the green and purple plaid stripes that curved to follow her hips, the whole curve of her drawing his eyes to meet hers. Thinking of her allowed him to connect into the mind of another as he shifted his phased thoughts, but connecting to two people simultaneously required him to think of Sam even more, to be saturated with her beauty and the warmth she radiated towards him. He looked at her lavender eyes, seeing the sparkle of the city lights in the twin, deep crystals. She knew he was preparing himself for the connections, but also knew he loved looking at her too. She was the luckiest girl in the world.

He phased…

…space, in all directions. There was the White Mountain, in its eternal majesty, in the distance. He opened his vision to Sam. He was floating without body, without form, in the inky blackness.

_I am going to connect to Tuck now._

_OK Danny._

_Tucker._

_Danny! So you changed your mind? Are we doing the road trip dawg?_

_Yes Tuck. Sam is here too._

_Hi Tuck!_

_Hiya Sam. By the way, where are you guys at…physically?_

_Danny and I are at the Cedarville turnoff._

_Romantic. Very romantic! _

_Tuck, take a look. _Danny opened his vision to Tucker as he gazed at The White Mountain.

_Ahhhhh! _Tucker's mind had a different level of thought than what Danny was used to from Sam. The connectivity he and Sam shared was verbal and visual. But as Tucker absorbed the image, Danny could detect…mathematical expressions, calculations computing estimated distance to The White Mountain, expressions describing its triangular shape, color and mass. Sam could feel it too. Danny was able to meld them all into a three way mind greater than any one of them alone.

In silent agreement, he launched their combined perspective towards The Mountain.

Hours? Days? Danny knew it was only a second. Sam knew it was only a heartbeat.

_How much longer before we are there Danny? _Tucker's first time made Danny smile inwardly.

_Almost Tuck. While we are traveling, I can show you something along the way._

This was new to Sam too. She had heard Danny describe what they were about to see, but he had not shared his vision with her.

On both 'sides' of their perspective, with the approaching White Mountain still in front, green, spherical forms began to glow and take shape. Danny had to make a concentrated effort to open this third level of phasing visible to Tucker and Sam.

_What are they? _There was no mathematics from Tucker as he asked this one.

_They are ghosts, Ghosts from the past._

_How do you know? _Sam could not see any clues that revealed the past nature of the greenish globes.

_Watch._

Danny increased his concentration and adjusted his phasing slightly.

The green glowing globes became humanoid. People. Then details could be seen: their fashion was old, in some cases, primitive.

They were men and women, some obviously from the 1800's, others from the Renaissance, and others whose fashion and hair style could not be identified with any particular era, but obviously not Danny, Sam and Tuckers.

They were all facing The White Mountain as the trio's perspective raced towards the distant peak.

Danny explained

_They come to The White Mountain. Some of them get close, others are far away, but these ones don't go into The Light._

_These ones? _Sam was confused. Who were the others?

_I see many that come into this dimension, and they go straight into The Light, no hesitation. But these ones for some reason, they don't go in, they just…orbit…The Mountain._

Compassion filled Sam. Danny could feel it. So could Tucker._ To be lost for centuries, forever, never going into The Light, no closure, ever? _She radiated sadness…

And the phasing stopped. Danny and Sam were in the ghost boat again, looking at the twilight over Amity Park.

"oops" Sam covered her mouth.

"Sorry".

Danny smiled at her. He connected to Tucker, verbally only.

_Tuck, you ok?_

_Yeah. What happened? I felt Sam was sorry for the ghosts, and then I am back in my room at home._

_I lost my fine tuned control. I'll talk to you later._

_Thanks Danny. Later._

Danny turned to look at Sam; she had been patiently waiting for the guy's private conversation to end.

"Is Tucker ok?" She asked. No telling with this kind of power what might happen.

"Yeah. I am going to bring him closer another time. Let's go get some Nasty Burgers."

"Sure. Flying through purgatory always makes me hungry!"

She won another hard fought smile from Danny as he turned on the car and put it in gear.


	13. Chapter 13 Another Plan

Chapter 13 – Another Plan

Sam knew the weight of public duty weighed heavily on Danny. He needed a distraction, but he would not consider anything fun that other people would. He needed an important distraction, one where he would feel purpose and usefulness, but without the pressure of criminal confrontation. And she knew of a need he could fill, a need that she had recently learned about. Besides, her own sense of right and wrong wanted Danny to fill that need too.

She and Tucker were in Danny's room, kicking the idea around between the three of them. She led the conversation with her idea.

"Only you can help them Danny." She crossed her arms "You are the only one that can take them into the light."

"But Sam," Tucker was concerned "Danny would have to form a connection with them, a connection with people who have ideas and culture very different from Danny. And Danny would seem alien to them as well. Some of them may have…disturbing images. Life was very brutal a long time ago." His outstretched palms begged agreement.

Danny listened to both of them, watching Sam, then Tucker, and then looking down at the floor as he sat on the edge of his bed.

"It's ok Tuck, I have been thinking of this for a while anyway. I have already connected with some of them. It was…strange, as you said. But I can handle it, no problem."

But Danny didn't look up at Tucker as he said it. Tucker wasn't very reassured.

"Well, if it isn't that bad, maybe you can connect me too so I can see…"

"NO." Danny looked up at Tucker, then at Sam, and then quickly looked back down again.

"No, I…I know you are curious Tuck, but it is too difficult for me to connect two at the same time. It will be easier and more certain if I just take them in, one at a time, by myself."

Sam looked up at Tucker. After Danny's outburst, she now began to have second thoughts. Why was Danny being protective about Tucker not experiencing the thoughts of the dead? Hmmm, well maybe the sound of that question did sound ominous. The thoughts of the _dead?_

"Danny, if you can't talk to us, who can you talk to?" Sam put her hand on Danny's shoulder. The small gesture had great impact on Danny, as she felt his shoulders relax and heard him breathe a sigh of relief.

"What is the real reason you don't want Tucker to see? What _did _you see?"

"Yeah Danny. I don't have to connect with you when you take them, but just tell us what it was like?" Tucker smiled, trying to ease Danny's concern.

Danny laid back, arms in back of his head, looking up at the ceiling in recall.

"They…don't like it. They don't like the part of me that is _human._"

He shut his eyes.

"They don't care about the ghost part of me. But they try to…haunt…my human side. They get angry, and I see…violent images. Ghost images, ghosts just like here in Amity Park, ghosts that want to attack, to destroy, and to _scare _the living."

He looked up at Sam and Tucker. They looked at each other, and they started laughing!

Sam spoke first:

"So, this is something new? Tuck, how many hundreds of ghosts do you think we have seen and fought with Danny?"

Tucker stopped laughing, but was still smiling: "Only one or two…_thousand._" He laughed again. "Danny, don't you think Sam and I can handle it by now?"

Danny wasn't smiling. "This isn't the same thing guys. I can't take a Fenton Thermos with me there. I can't use ecto-_anything _against them. All I can do is connect with them, and then maintain the connection until I reach the light. All the while, they are doing their…thing. And it seems like they are doing their thing for a long time. Travel is slow to the light. You both know that."

Sam decided. This was going to put even more stress on Danny, not less.

"OK, maybe it was a bad idea Danny. I don't have the right to ask you to do something this…this difficult. You do enough already for the living and dead." She sat next to him on his bed, and brushed the shaggy hair from his forehead. He closed his eyes to absorb her touch. He thought of selfishly agreeing with her, to enjoy her love, and keep his 'work' to a minimum. Then he remembered the words given to the gifted over the ages: 'to whom great things are given, great things are expected.' He sat up.

"I must do it Sam, there is no one else who can." He stood up, looking out the window with determination. Sam and Tucker watched Danny carefully, and thought quickly. If they were going to talk him out of it, they had to act fast, because once he began phasing, days to him would pass by in a heartbeat for them. They wouldn't know he was gone, until after he was back.

He laid back down on the bed.

Sam touched his face. "Danny…"

He phased…


	14. Chapter 14 Contact

Chapter 14 – Contact

…Space, total blackness all around him. Danny could see The White Mountain in the distance, the summit sparkling with a bright pinpoint of light. Dimmer pinpoints sparkled with blues, reds, purples, greens, yellows, all the while orbiting the greater Light in weaving paths.

He would begin with the spirits closest to the Light, and work his way outward.

Hours? Days? Only seconds, only heartbeats. He arrived at The Mountain. He thought of Sam, and reached out to the glimmering, multicolored globe nearest him.

A Primitive! Her thoughts spoke to him as she realized his invasive connection.

_Living! You must tell me what happened to my child!_

_I am sorry, I don't know. _Danny began streaking towards the light. The brightness grew brighter.

_I was killed by the great cat before I could save my child. Does my child live?_

_Sorry, I am so sorry, but I don't know. But it was a long time ago, so even if your child survived, he or she would be dead from old age by now. It has been many moons._

Sadness radiated to him through the connection. Danny struggled to think of Sam. He remembered her eyes, her smile. But the Primitives sadness was strong, a broken heart…_almost there!_

_So my child is dead…_

Danny entered the brightness _At last! _The Primitives life began flashing by. He watched scenes of gathering food, of brutal fight for dominance within the tribe. The birth of the Primitive's child. _The Pain, the suffering…_

It was done. And this was only the first.

--------------------------------------------------

Another sphere, glimmering, sparkling with light, just as Danny himself was glowing.

The two globes began to circle each other as they orbited the greater Light.

Danny thought of holding Sam while she slept, and reached out. Their thoughts connected.

A…Bride?

_Is that you my love?_

_No. I am sorry. _

_I have waited for you for so long._

_I am sorry. I am not the one you are waiting for. _Danny had almost forgotten his mission as the Bride made her romantic overture to him. She was beautiful. But remembering, he launched their combined perspective towards the Light.

_From where have you come? I miss my love, where is he?_

_I don't know. _Almost there!

_Then LEAVE ME!_

Danny knew that she would begin haunting him, as she shouted, her connection 'voice' became a low pitched and loud, growling snarl.

Gone was the Bride, her glow enlarged from the globe to a giant ghost, an enormous amoeba of fear and hatred, surrounding him, with an irregular and wavy form, thickening, obscuring The Light.

He fought to think of Sam, of holding her, kissing her, recalling her say 'I love you Danny'. He was almost there.

The Bride was conscious of Danny's thoughts too; saw Sam, and their love. The ghost twisted Sam's image in his mind, she began to age, to wrinkle, bags under her eyes, hair graying, stooping over. Her eyes sunk in death, the teeth falling out, the skull beginning to show through the decaying, blackening skin.

He entered the Brightness. _Almost didn't make it!_

The spirits life began flashing past him, but he did not have the strength to watch, he knew he had won, her life would flash without the need for him to watch it. He dropped the connection, and withdrew from the light. Scenes from the Bride's life continued to flicker to an empty theatre…

That was only the second journey. How many thousands were here? Millions? How many times must he say _I'm sorry?_

Dropping his phase control, he went back...


	15. Chapter 15 Rest, and Another Plan

Chapter 15 – Rest, and Another Plan

…blue eyes opened, and saw lavender.

"Danny…did you…phase?" Sam wasn't sure if she stopped him yet, or he had returned. Her face was worried as she laid a gentle hand on the side of his face. Danny reached up, and grabbing her small hand in his, kissed it. Sam could see his eyes were misty.

"Danny" she whispered "what happened?"

Tucker came closer too, and seeing Danny's eyes, looked at Sam. _It was too much!_

"I'm ok Tuck." But Danny closed his eyes as he sat up on the bed. He put his arm around Sam, and rested his face against her shoulder, hiding his eyes. He breathed a deep, heavy sigh of relief as she wrapped her arms around him. She kissed the middle of his shaggy hair, rubbing his back up and down.

"It's ok Danny. You don't have to tell us anything."

"Yeah Danny, tell us later." Tucker bit his lip as he said it: Sam was glaring at him with _no more! _in her eyes.

Danny lifted his head, and rubbing his eyes, began to describe the two connections he made, and the difficult struggle to get them to the light. When Danny described the Bride, Sam knew he had left out some part of the story.

"What do you mean she tried to change _me?_" She then had second thoughts about asking him for more details. He was looking inwardly and frowning. She was doing what she told Tucker not to do.

"I don't want to talk about it now. She is gone, and that's all that counts."

---------------------------------

Downstairs in the kitchen, Sam was helping Jazz cook some spaghetti. The boiling water reduced to a simmer as Sam added the pasta.

Tucker and Danny were sitting at the table. Tucker's stomach growled.

"Smells good already!" He smiled at Danny, trying to lighten the mood.

Danny was recovering.

"Meatballs?"

"Sure Danny." Jazz lifted the meatballs from the frying pan and put them into the crock pot of sauce.

"If only there was a way to bring them all in at once. One at a time is too much, and will take forever." Danny looked down at the table, thinking. Jazz and Sam looked at each other. Sam turned and spoke.

"Danny, give it up, like you say, it's too much. There is too many of them. Maybe it was meant to be."

"To whom great things are given, great things are expected." Danny creased his forehead in determination as he looked at Sam. Then his face relaxed as he looked at something behind her. The large, glass pot of boiling pasta was percolating. Sam and Jazz were puzzled by the change in Danny's face. Tucker also followed Danny's gaze, looking at the cooking pasta. The pot was covered, and the frothing, growing bubbles were beginning to rise.

The lid began rising and closing with a _ting ting_ as the boiling water pressure raised the lid, and releasing pressure, dropped the lid shut again to once more repeat the cycle.

Sam lifted the lid. The bubbles died down.

Tucker and Danny looked at each other. Danny smiled. He knew what he could do now. He laughed at the wheels in Tucker's head turning trying to follow his best friend's train of thought.

"I have a plan guys. I think I can go back, and get more into the light. A LOT more!"


	16. Chapter 16 From Simmer to Boil

Chapter 16 – From Simmer to Boil

After dinner, they were all talking. They were trying to get him to explain what he was thinking of doing. Danny stood up, and put his hand on Tucker's shoulder.

"Sorry Tuck. I really don't want to start a scientific debate; I know what I need to do."

Sam was getting worried, but outwardly, she crossed her arms and looked cross:

"Danny Fenton, WHAT are you up to?" He walked over to her.

"Sam" he put his hands on her shoulders "It is just a bit complicated, and I don't want to waste a lot of time going over details and…well I don't want you guys to worry over nothing." He smiled.

With force, she raised her arms and pushed his hands off of her shoulders, her brow furrowed in rising anger. Danny stopped smiling.

"No way Fenton. Even if you do, that answer won't fly. Tell me what's going on under that shaggy head of yours!"

"It will be like last time! Honest! You will see me go, and before you know it, I will be back." He lifted his hands up, pleading.

"But…in between, what are you going to be doing?" Tucker was helping Sam gang up on Danny, but Tucker's face was concerned, not angry.

"OK, that's it. No more talk!" Danny said as he grabbed Sam, and before she could push or even hit him, he leaned her back and kissed her.

"For good luck!" He became intangible and disappeared as she regained her balance. There was no use her getting mad at him now. Besides…she couldn't get mad at him…now.

"Good luck Danny!" She ran to the door, opened it and looked out at the evening sky.

--------------------------------------------------------------

As Danny flew over his home town, he looked down at the view, not really watching, but thinking. Amity Park was a contrast of shadows in the last bit of setting sun. Bright orange lines of the buildings were accented by the darkness of the shadows.

It was a simple town, with its simple problems, and almost predictable day to day experiences. He was steeling himself for what he tried to convince his friends was a simple, nothing to worry over plan. If he succeeded, he would be changing something intangible, changing the spiritual world, a much more complicated world, a bizarre place so vastly differently from his home town. A last shred of resistance still echoed in his mind. _Stay home. If I never went back to The Light, my human life here in Amity will go on, safe, and with the love of family, the love of friends. Sam's love. I don't need to do this._

But that was the rationalization of a coward. Danny knew it. The plan was…risky. If it worked, a catastrophic event would take place in The Light. But then…lives? Spirits. Spirits would be saved eternal purgatory. They would be at peace. What if it were him? What if it were…Sam or Tucker floating out there…forever?

But what might happen to him? _Don't think about it. Don't give doubt a chance. Have faith in the future! _He knew he had to do it. It was his mission to do, and his alone. Silently, with stealth, he flew back to his home, to his bedroom. He lay down on his bed to concentrate, and phased…

---------------------------------------------------------

…black, empty space, all around him, except for The White Mountain. It was as it had been for eternity, its white slopes towering in the distance. He put forth his will, his perspective, and the feeling of motion surrounded him.

Time went by. Or no time. The time it takes for a lifetime to flash by. The time for only a heartbeat. The Mountain suddenly loomed up at him.

The summit peak was lit with brilliance from The Light floating above it. Multicolored globes, shimmering with sparkles of thought, were in eternal orbit, bobbing and weaving in a drunken dance around The Light. There were so many, so many. There were vast numbers further away from summit too, but still tracing their unmistakable path around The Mountain in a slow and dedicated, but pointless journey. Going in circles.

Danny himself was shimmering, giving off sparkles of light. He had no form in his current phase. Now he approached The Light.

The Light was a bright pinpoint, but it flowed from the peak, the summit of The Mountain, like a photonic eruption, a great beam of light shooting from a supernatural volcano in the ghost dimension.

Danny concentrated. He began to alter his phasing, and as a result, he began to _stretch. _

He grew in two dimensions, expanding to a vast sheet of spiritual thought, without limit, without thickness, but impenetrable to any thing in this non-place. He may as well been miles thick.

He began to point the corners of his conceptual spirit towards The Light. He was a huge sheet, wrapping itself around the summit of The Mountain. He grew larger and larger.

He brought the edges down around the 'base' of the mighty peak. The Light and The Mountain were now completely covered by his thin, translucent expression of his form.

It was working! The Light began to grow brighter, still brighter than the sun, but now, it began to swell in size, to expand from a pinpoint into a globe, a glowing and growing, flaming sphere. It became irregular, flares and wisps of light leaping from the surface of the hellish (or heavenly) ball of light.

The multicolored spirits trapped in their eternal orbit that were closest to The Light were hit first. Here and there, the horizon of The Light reached them, and scenes of their lives began to play. At first, individual lifetimes could be made out in the flashing movie of death, of closure.

As The Light continued to expand, it reached the boundary of Danny's thought, the surface or layer of his 'sheet'. There were multicolored globes in orbit inside the sheet, and outside. The ones inside were being consumed by The Light, the scenes becoming a frenzy of chaotic images, blurring together so fast and in such quantity, Danny could no longer make out individual days, nights, lives.

The Light, confined by his mutant ghost spirit, unable to consume him, began to froth and bubble, almost in anger at this limit in a limitless plane of existence. New beams of intense light began to erupt from the slopes of The Mountain under this new 'pressure'. Where they struck a spirit, its life began flashing inside the bright column. Danny kept his concentration up. He began to think he might actually survive this!

The Light was now at full boil. All spirits that were inside his confining sheet were consumed by its demanding end. Only the millions outside his protective shield were left, still in their pointless orbits. _Now!_

Danny reduced himself back to a mindless form, in a fraction of time too small to measure.

The Light exploded in a brilliant fireball, expanding like steam released from a pot. The previously protected spirits were blasted like hapless planets in the path of a supernova. The Light's sphere even expanded to enclose Danny, but he was 'immune', his mutant ghost attributes protecting him.

The Light was now an utter chaos of flashing life scenes, here was a woman, there a man, here a child, all blending into a blur of faces, of events, of days and nights, a swirling movie in fast motion, revolving all around Danny's consciousness. He tried to withdraw, but he could not make out which way was out, which was the center of the huge fireball.

He dropped his phasing…


	17. Chapter 17 Heaven or Hell

Chapter 17 – Heaven or Hell

Sam walked upstairs to Danny's room. She would wait for him; if Danny phased, he shouldn't be long…if he succeeded.

Jazz and Tucker looked at each other and stayed downstairs by silent agreement. Every minute that went by without Danny's return weighed heavily on their hearts. _Shouldn't he be back already? _It had been at least five minutes. They didn't know he had flown over Amity Park and then secretly returned to begin his mission from his bedroom minutes later.

Sam turned the knob, and opened the door…

…and there was Danny, lying on the bed. The evening light shining through the window was dim, but she could see that he was still, eyes closed. He had returned, but was…not moving.

She walked to the bed and sat down next to Danny, immediately feeling his forehead: _was he warm? Yes._ He was alive. She brushed his thick black hair back, could she wake him?

He didn't move. Then, in the darkness of the room, she began to notice a dim green halo surrounding him. It was slowly getting brighter. He was coming back!

When he phased before by her side, his return was always a brief flash of green, then he would appear. Now, his return was slower, much slower. _How much time is going by for him, how many lifetimes?_

The green glow around Danny grew brighter now, lighting up the room. Jazz and Tucker could see the light emanating from the room into the hallway. They ran up the stairs.

Jazz got to the top of the stairs first.

"Sam, what's going on?"

Tucker was right behind her, panting.

"Sam!"

They saw Sam still sitting on the bed, one hand still on the side of Danny's face, her other was holding his hand. She was engulfed by the greenish glow, but didn't seem to be in any discomfort.

The light vanished!

Danny opened his eyes, to see Sam smile.

"I knew you would come back." She leaned forward and kissed him.

He sat up and putting his arms around her, kissed her back.

"Nothing in Heaven or Hell could keep me from you!" he smiled.


End file.
